if you are still reading this far may I add my 2 cents here?

I gave up trying to race sometime ago as well but still enjoy riding tubulars (infact I had three sets of wheels built this winter). I think they do ride much better than clinchers HOWEVER if you are using a fancy aero section rim I feel the ride quality suffers. I feel the simple box section older style tubular is what gives it alot of the ride quality, the rim without the sidewall for the clincher is free to flex alot more even when built.

as for repairing, I never had much luck with that but with a good quality midlevel tire and a bit of simple preventave maintenance there is no reason to have alot of flats. just check your pressure before every ride and after riding give the wheel a spin and give the tire a quick wipe with a rag. if you do flat just peel off the bad one and slip on the new one. no glue needed on the road. the reglue when you get home

one often overlooked benifit of tubulars is once you flat and use your spare, you a have a good excuse to cut your ride short and head home for a Grey Goose Cosmo *giggle*

if you have friction shifting bike just do as others suggest and look on CL and ebay for a good older set and give then whirl. or maybe a nearby BFr will let you borrow a pair for a few trips arouind the block. I saw a real nice pair on Reading Pa CL black HF Suze hubs and Champion rims. 100$

these are two of the pairs I had built recently